Juneteenth: The Newest Federal Holiday
Celebrating the End of Slavery
Juneteenth, short for June Nineteenth, is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in Texas.
The History of Juneteenth
Juneteenth marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. This was two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Juneteenth has been celebrated in Texas since 1866, and it became a state holiday in 1980. In 2021, Juneteenth became the latest federal holiday in the US, the first to be approved since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
How Juneteenth is Celebrated
Juneteenth is celebrated in a variety of ways, including parades, festivals, picnics, and church services. It is a day for African Americans to reflect on their history and culture, and to celebrate their freedom.
Juneteenth is also a day for all Americans to learn about the history of slavery in the United States and to recommit to fighting for racial justice.
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